The Haines Borough manager job has been reposted. Haines has been without a permanent manager for more than a year.
The borough assembly’s first choice for the job, George Zoukee, rejected the position in March. Zoukee was living in Tennessee and told the CVN that he turned down the position because of unanticipated moving expenses.
Zoukee was offered the job 10 months after manager Debra Schnabel was fired. Borough clerk Alekka Fullerton has been filling in as an interim manager. Fullerton, who applied for the job, decided to remain in her position as clerk and said in March she wouldn’t reapply or take the job if offered.
The personnel committee had a meeting on May 25 regarding hiring a new manager. The assembly was asked what adjustments should be made in the manager job description. Caitlin Kirby suggested adding a personnel policy.
“From the sounds of it, it sounds kind of like it’s not so much an issue of the manager being the personnel officer, as it is we don’t really have a personnel policy,” said Kirby. “We don’t have something employees can fall back on for ‘what do I do when?’”
Kirby said the manager job description does not need to be adjusted, but rather a personnel policy needs to be created. Kirby suggested that during the interview process, the applicant should be asked if they have experience developing personnel policies. The committee agreed.
The assembly will meet on July 22 to discuss further changes and give feedback.
Assembly member Paul Rogers said one of the biggest changes the assembly has already made was adding Item 12 under “Examples of Duties.”
Item 12 states that the manager must communicate regularly with the assembly and the Mayor regarding their actions and plans. Rogers said that language was added to ensure the manager and assembly work well together.
Rogers said that the adjustment was effective in regard to Fullerton, and will be reevaluated when the new manager has been hired.
The closing date for the borough manager applications is July 2.